Seasonal antimicrobial activity of the volatile exometabolites of some tropical lianas during introduction

¹ Ural Branch: Institute Botanic Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RASUBIBG), Ekaterinburg 620144, Russia
² Central Siberian Botanical Garden of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (CSBG SB RAS), Novosibirsk 630090, Russia

^* Corresponding author: savicckiy@mail.ru

Abstract

The dynamics of the seasonal activity of exometabolites was studied for the lianas from the families: Araceae — Epipremnum aureum G.S. Bunting, Monstera deliciosa Liebm. var. borsigiana h Araliaceae — Hedera helix L. and Schefflera octophylla (Lour.) Harms. The antimicrobial activity of intact plants was evaluated by treating inoculated microbial test cultures Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. in Petri dished with the volatile emissions of plants. Antimicrobial action was measured in comparison with the reference using the scale of phytoncide activity. The species and seasonal specificity of antimicrobial activity of exometabolites of intact plant leaves was revealed. All the studied plants exhibited moderate seasonal activity against S. epidermidis. Long-term seasonal activity was detected for S. octophylla. Pronounced activity against E. coli was detected in the species H. helix, M. deliciosa var. borsigiana and S. octophylla, while antifungal action was detected in the species E. aureum and S. octophylla. Substantial antifungal and antibacterial activity against S. epidermidis was observed during intense growth during summer and in the autumn-winter period. These experimental data provide evidence of species-specific antimicrobial activity during different periods of seasonal development of plants against the test objects.